Sputtering Trenton Thunder fall again to Portland Sea Dogs

TRENTON— Observe any Little League game or even high school, and you’re likely to find the best kid on the team playing shortstop. And when he’s not there, he’s pitching.

Nick Goody was one of those kids. Sort of.

He didn’t get the call last night as the Trenton Thunder fell 5-4 to the Portland Sea Dogs in front of an announced crowd of 3,548.

Rob Segedin had a single and two-run double for the home team, and Ben Gamel a double, three singles, drove in a run and scored a run on the sticky and somewhat breezy evening.

Trenton (39-46) left 13 runners on base.

Portland scored four runs in the opening inning against starter Manny Banuelos, who left with a 2-2 count on the No. 6 batter, as his previously determined pitch count was up. Jairo Heredia went 5⅔ in relief, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out five.

Goody was a shortstop at University High School in Orlando, and while he did spend a few innings on the mound, he was recruited to the State College of Florida-Bradenton as a shortstop.

“He was struggling, in the field,” former SCF coach Jim Hill Sr. said. “We didn’t know what to do with him. He had a good arm, so we decided, ‘Let’s put him on the mound.’ He did a great job for us.”

After two years in junior college, Goody moved on to LSU. He finished third in the Southeastern Conference in saves (11) as the Tigers won the 2012 conference championship. He struck out the side in the bottom of the 10th inning to preserve the NCAA Regional final against Oregon State.

In 35 appearances, Goody had a 2.67 ERA, walked four and struck out 45.

During his sophomore year in junior college, he was named Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year with an ERA of 1.29 and 114 strikeouts in 84 innings. In one game, he struck out 19.

Drafted twice by the Yankees — finally foregoing his senior year when selected in the sixth round – he arrived from the Tampa Yankees two weeks ago. After a strong debut against New Hampshire June 20, he’s allowed five hits and three runs in last two appearances.

“Obviously you want to pitch better, but it’s a work in progress,” Goody said before last night’s game. “You take the good with the bad; you can’t dwell on it. You try and get better each and every day, and that’s all you can do.”

After posting a 1.12 ERA two years ago with combined starts in Staten Island, Charleston and Tamps, Goody first tore up his ankle in a car accident, then two games into last season he underwent Tommy John surgery.

“Mentally, it definitely wears on you,” Goody told the Bradenton Herald last month after slowly getting back on the mound during games. “I think for four months I didn’t watch baseball. I didn’t care to watch baseball. You see everyone you played with making their dreams become reality. But one thing it did, though, was it made me mentally stronger. It grew my faith with God, and I just realized everything happens for a reason.”

“God blessed me with an arm, that’s for sure,” he said. “Then he blessed me with a reconstructed arm.”

He hated the initial transition from shortstop. His arm hurt.

He knew how to throw but he had no idea how to pitch, despite his brief high school appearances.

“I still didn’t let hitting go,” he said. “I played outfield or third base whenever I could. I miss hitting.”

“He was an athletic kid with a really good arm,” said current SCF coach Tim Hill Jr., whose father coached 31 years before his son took over two years back. “What I remember most about him is he’s a very confident young man. We saw he had the potential. He had a good arm and a pretty good slider for not having pitched. He spent more time on the mound and took off from there. He’s a terrific kid; one of my favorites. He still keeps in touch.”

The JUCO program has turned out more than 200 pro baseball players, with 28 reaching the major leagues.

Goody, who turns 23 this month, comes from an athletic family.

His mom ran track in college, and his two sisters are headed to college to play softball. His father was more into surfing, and Goody has dabbled in wake boarding, scuba diving and dirt biking.

“I believe God puts things in your life and leads you to where you want to be, and at the end of the day I’m just happy to play and continue my career. I have come a long way,” Goody said, “but I also have a long way to go.”